by K.C., mom of Eliza (Toddlers)
Looking for a place to sign your little one up for summer swimming lessons or enjoy some pool time as a family? Here are some ideas that were collected at our board meeting this month. If you have other locations to share, please email us, and we will gladly add it to our list.
Our local community centers offer swim lessons on week days, evenings and weekends, with classes for parents/tots, or kiddos on their own (after they are 3 years old). Community centers also have weekly family swim times, which are a great way encourage a little one who might be reluctant to get in the pool without a parent with them. Most of the pools I have been in are not “warm” but are tolerable if you can keep moving! Indoor Pools: Meadowbrook, Greenlake, Mount Lake Terrace Outdoor Pools: Mounger in Magnolia, Colman in West Seattle
Additionally, there are some great neighborhood pool clubs in our area as well. View Ridge and Wedgewood pool clubs are open all summer, and offer swim lessons for members and non-members. It’s my understanding that you wait in line on non-member registration day, but everyone who wants a spot usually gets one. Sessions run 4 days a week for 2 weeks at a time.
If you can get in to the Children’s Hospital Therapy Pool, that is also an option for small class size lessons for kiddos ages 6 months to 5 years. This pool is a bit warmer than the community center pools too! You will need to sign up for their email list to be notified when registration opens. Spots are open to current students first, and then open to the waiting list via an email notification. The timing to register has never worked for our family, but I know there are quite a few Sandhurst families currently enrolled, so it is possible.
Another way to go is private lessons. Often lasting about 15-25 minutes, your little one gets a lot of instruction packed into a short time. Our very own Emily Bradley (Parent Educator for our Pre-3 class) is offering swim lessons in her heated pool this summer. Looks like her calendar is almost full. Click here for details. Another local option with lots of great reviews is Swim Guru, located off of Aurora.
And if you are just looking for some time to splash around outside, don’t forget to check out the Wading Pools and Spray Parks, and Lakeside Beaches too.
Be safe, stay cool, and enjoy your summer!